3. Who is the Instructor?
Prof. Tim Boileau
Professional
Academic
Hobbies
Games
3
4. The We is Greater than the Me
What is your Name?
What do you do for a living?
What program are you in?
What is one interesting thing about you
(hobbies)?
What games do you play?
What (if any) experience do you have
with Flash (CS4 or CS5)?
4
6. Why are we here?
What do you expect from this class?
5
7. Why are we here?
What do you expect from this class?
Check all that apply:
Get a good grade
Learn to program in Flash CS5/AS 3.0
Learn how to design instructional
games/simulations
Develop skills and have fun
5
8. Resources - How do we want to learn?
Syllabus
BlackBoard Site
Wiki Site
IT Lab Server
Check Bb for announcements
Download lectures and syllabus
6
9. Make Sure You Hear From Me
Go to http://connect.wayne.edu
Set your email forwarding if you don’t
regularly check WSU email
Click Account Management
Click Set or Change Mail Forwarding
Enter the email address you use
Don’t click Save Messages
7
10. Why Games?
$ Multi-billion industry surpassing
Hollywood film industry
Embedded in popular culture
Represent more natural ways of learning
and engagement
Learning can and should be hard fun!
8
12. What is a Simulation?
A model of reality
Varying degrees of fidelity
Varying levels of user control
Used for experimentation,
demonstration, learning
Examples
Nuclear power plant
Pilot training
Military combat
Study of epidemics
10
13. What is in a Game?
Objective
Rules
Competition
Randomness or unpredictability
Designed for fun and sometimes
learning
11
14. What is a Simulation-game?
Based on a model of reality
Includes competition or randomness
Usually designed for learning
12
15. Digital Simulations and Games
Make it easier to break the rules
Provides a safe environment for failure
Automate functions like turns, scoring
Act as competitor
Control of physical systems
Flight simulator
Human patient simulator
13
16. Advantages of Games and
Simulations
Highly engaging
Promote transfer
Set in realistic context
Wide variety of problems
Reduce cost or risk
14
17. Simulations vs. Games
Simulations rely on underlying models,
not prescripted branches
Games are simulations with the
aesthetic tuned to create an optimal level
of engagement
The effect of the experience adds to our
ability to think and perform
15
18. Paradox of Games
People are willing to spend hours
figuring out how to advance in a game
...but are willing to give up something
considerably more valuable like learning
to use a word processor
As designers, we cannot be about
designing content
...instead, we are designing experiences
16
19. Engaging Experiences
Occur when learners are captured, heart
and mind in learning--they are
cognitively and affectively connected to
the learning experience
Motivate learners to attend to the
content, provide rich practice activities,
and fodder for discussion and refinement
of understanding
17
20. Learning-Doing Continuum
Goal is not to help people learn...that’s a
tactic
Goal is to target and improve key
performance indicators, reflected in
metrics associated with organizations
and schools
We must help people do...this is the
strongest argument for focusing on
engagement in learning
18
21. Need to Experience Games
Buy a lottery ticket
Go to AddictingGames Website
Microsoft Midtown Madness
Roller Coaster Tycoon/2
Sims
Whatever your kids are playing!
19
22. IT 7220
Is about games and digital media for
learning
And Flash
But it’s not a Flash course
Goal is to achieve a balance between
programming and design
Simulations?
IT 7510
Simulations for Learning & Performance
Improvement
20
23. Flash CS4
Most common browser plug-in (98%)
Allows rich media, animation,
interactivity
In IT, we have a particular understanding of
“interactivity”
Not just video or “clicks”
Must engage the mind
Becoming a standard even for video
See IT 7230
21
24. Flash, by any other name...
Application Description
Flash Flash software application creates and edits artwork and other
interactive elements stored in a Flash (.fla) project file. .fla files
are exported in the .swf file format, typically embedded in an
HTML document and exported to the Web. Other Flash file
formats include ActionScript file (.as), video files (.flv), and
projector files (either .exe or .app).
Flash Player Flash player plays the published .swf files. The Flash plug-in
must be installed to see Flash content on the Web. This plug-
in comes pre-installed in all browsers, and can be downloaded
for free from the Adobe Web site.
Flash Catalyst New with CS5. It’s an interactive design tool with workflows to
transform static graphic images into interactive Flash objects
without programming.
22
26. Timeline Metaphor
Flash is governed by a timeline
Frame-based
One frame can be an interaction
Or just a fraction of a second
Or call a movie clip with its own timeline
24
27. Many Tools
Drawing
Stroke
Fill
Animation
Shape
Motion
25
28. And if Flash Won’t Do It …
There’s Actionscript
98% the same as javascript
Lets you build interactivity beyond the
basics
Essential for games and simulations
Our focus is on frame-based games
26
29. In this unit …
Introduce yourself to Flash
Tutorials available at
http://atomiclearning.com
Login Credentials:
Login: WayneState; PW: coed
27
30. For Next Class...
View McGonigal video
View Angry Birds visual and read article
on “casual games”
Create Personal page in Wiki
Start thinking about assignments
Continue practice in Flash
Play a game!
28
Editor's Notes
Learning to Do, not just Learning to Know\n
\n
My favorite things: iPad; Google (Docs, Calendar, Chrome, Sites, Android...); Sprint Mobile Router\n
\n
Learning theory\nInstruction design model for games\nFlash programming beyond the basics to intermediate levels\n
Learning theory\nInstruction design model for games\nFlash programming beyond the basics to intermediate levels\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Learning can and should be hard fun.\n
The best learning experience generally available are either high-fidelity simulations or interactive sessions with skilled facilitators.\nThe Masie Center found that 70% of survey respondents would be very interested in a learning process that has computer games.\n
A widely cited Forrester report (Hogg, 2002) found that 75% of e-learners do not finish their courses.\n
From Clark Aldrich, “Simulations and the future of learning”.\n
Much more programming focused than last year, based on feedback from participants.\n